Is Portovenere worth visiting? Interview with Debra Levinson, founder of Mr. & Mrs. Italy

Whether you are planning a vacation in the Italian Riviera or your one-day cruise stop in La Spezia, you might be asking yourself if Portovenere is worth visiting along with Cinque Terre and other villages of the Gulf of Poets. We have decided to ask this question to travel expert Debra Levinson. She is the founder of Mr. & Mrs. Italy Handpicked Experiences, specialized in custom trip planning for immersive and authentic Italian vacations, and is the author of guides like Italy’s Best with Kids, Handpicked Italy and Eat, Drink, Luxuriate.

How did you learn about Portovenere and what was your first impression when you visited it for the first time?

I first learned about Portovenere at the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM). I was there with my husband David, who is the co-founder Mr. & Mrs. Italy, and each of us participated in different meetings. One day he met with the General Manager, Antonio Polesel, of Grand Hotel Portovenere. When we reunited later that evening, David told me “You have got to see this place” as he opened his laptop: first thing I saw was this video with beautiful views of the rocks, the sea, the church… We had been to Liguria about 15 times, and somehow had never landed in Portovenere! So, a few months later we visited it and it was simply phenomenal.

In my experience, there are few places that can hold a candle to this little corner of Liguria. And for many reasons. One is that there is no direct train, unlike the other famous towns of Cinque Terre. I have heard that Portovenere is referred to as the Sesta Terra or sixth land, but to me this is nothing like the Cinque Terre where it’s like entering a sardine can, this is a world apart. It is exclusive, luxurious, authentic, here you can take a deep breath and say “Wow, I have really arrived somewhere special here”.

“Authentic” is a term that is very used today in the travel world. What does it mean to you?

Authentic to us means being in a part of Italy – or any place in the world – that is untouched and undisturbed by tourism. This is the place that offers the most luxurious and full-on experience. There are touristic places where you will find many foreigners who are manufacturing products or cooking your food, but in Portovenere it is “tutto italiano”!

Portovenere is not very known abroad. Does it have what it takes to satisfy the clients of Mr. & Mrs. Italy and their top requests?

Absolutely. And Grand Hotel Portovenere especially. Prior to our site inspection, we had an idea but couldn’t completely understand the town and the hotel. It was wonderful to get there and explore. Some of our top requests have to do with food and room views. We loved the food at Palmaria Restaurant: it was authentic, local and handmade with the best of quality. And the rooms had the beautiful views that our clients always ask for, from all corners of the hotel – from those overlooking the colorful villages to the others facing Palmaria Island and the bay.

And regarding the village of Portovenere, it fits perfectly with the vision that our clients have. I thought of it just the other day when we were consulting with this couple who wished to return to Italy, and the wife explained: “I picture myself in a piazza with a glass of wine, looking out on extraordinary views, walking, doing some shopping, eating some local pastry, getting another glass of wine, drinking an espresso, embracing the people and the food”.

What are your top tips for someone visiting the Italian Riviera for the first time?

The typical statement from travelers who want to visit the Italian Riviera is “I want to go to Cinque Terre”. They are beautiful and enthralling, especially if you like hiking, but our recommendation is that staying inside the towns is not the best solution, you want to stay outside. We particularly love Sestri Levante, Camogli, Lerici and now Portovenere is at the top of our list. Another tip is that you cannot see all of Liguria in one trip, so relax and immerse yourself right where you are. Go in the shops and meet the owners, go walk the streets and have some focaccia… I guarantee that it will be extraordinary.

What is your favorite dish from Liguria? And around Italy what do you like to order at the restaurant?

For me being Italy is about eating my way through! And I also love cooking, especially pesto. During spring, when we are at home in the USA, my husband gets large planters so that we can grow lots of fresh basil and we eat a lot of pesto. But having said that, it’s incomparable. When we were visiting Portovenere, I ordered pasta with pesto for lunch in nearby Monterosso, and when it was served, we all kept looking at one another and asking ourselves “What is this?!”. We tried to dissect it, it tasted like there might be some mint in there. It was what you are known for – your basil, unbelievable, and the olive oil. The freshness of it all – you cannot replicate that anywhere.

What I like eating in Italy depends on the region that I am visiting, because it’s all so different. If I am in Puglia, I am looking for that burrata; if in Sicily I want some fresh fish; if I’m up in the Dolomites I’m thinking about polenta… And then there’s the figs! The first time I was in Italy and I was given a fig by a man at a store, I thought he was trying to sell me a rotten one… but when I tried it, I couldn’t believe it. Same thing with the persimmon, it’s so different from what we have in the USA, when I had it in Italy it was amazingly juicy and so delicious!

Did you discover any foodie secrets while staying in Portovenere?

We did the oyster tasting experience and it was extremely particular, more than I ever knew. People say to us all the time: “Oh, you are going to Italy again?” but they don’t realize that every time it’s a new awakening! We never went to Italy to eat oysters, but now we have discovered that Portovenere is the place where to taste this delicacy while visiting the local oyster farms. When we return in Spring after the reopening of Grand Hotel Portovenere, we look forward to doing a cooking lesson with the Chef of Palmaria Restaurant to learn some more secrets of the Italian cuisine!

Thank you, Debra!
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